Proxmox vs Cozystack — 5-year TCO comparison
Last updated: · dataset v0.2.0 · FX pinned 2026-07-01 · prices as of Q3 2026 · methodology & sources
Cozystack 5-year TCO for 200 VMs is $342,915 vs Proxmox VE $533,514, at typical negotiated prices, Q3 2026 (including one-time migration costs).
Proxmox VE vs Cozystack at default assumptions
| Scenario | Proxmox VE 5-yr TCO | Cozystack 5-yr TCO* | Savings | Cozystack unit cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMB — 50 VMs | $174,085 | $141,606 | $32,480 (19%) | $47 / VM / mo | month 19 |
| Mid-size — 200 VMs | $533,514 | $342,915 | $190,598 (36%) | $29 / VM / mo | month 10 |
| Enterprise — 1,000 VMs | $2,052,876 | $1,514,562 | $538,314 (26%) | $25 / VM / mo | month 13 |
* Cozystack total includes the one-time migration from Proxmox VE (a fixed setup plus a marginal $/VM — owner estimate, Ænix field data). Estimates only — not a quote.
Break-even
Cozystack is cheaper than Proxmox VE across the whole tested range of Proxmox VE support $/node/yr (0–10× the current value). One-time migration costs pay back in month 10.
Key facts
- Proxmox VE software is free; commercial support is ~$1100/node/yr (public price list — no negotiated basis; as of 2026-07).
- Contract term default: 12 months (annual subscription (proxmox.com pricing)).
When to choose Proxmox VE
- Hard vendor-ecosystem dependencies (ISV certifications, existing tooling and runbooks) that outweigh the cost delta.
How this is calculated
Three cost articles — software (licenses + vendor support), one-time migration and personnel. Hardware and facilities are identical on both sides and excluded; an internal sizing chain (CPU oversubscription 3:1, RAM target 85%, per-platform storage replication, N+1 HA headroom) only produces the node/core/socket counters that licenses bill against. Renewal uplifts apply only after a real renewal event inside the horizon. Default pricing basis is realized (typical negotiated) — conservative against our own headline. Every default carries a source, date and source nature; owner estimates (migration setup and $/VM, personnel days) are labeled as Ænix field data. Full methodology, formulas and the complete source list.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Proxmox VE cost for 200 VMs over 5 years?
At default assumptions (EU region, typical negotiated prices, Q3 2026) the model puts Proxmox VE at $533,514 over 5 years across the three cost articles: software (licenses + vendor support), migration (one-time, target platform only) and personnel (a days-per-month staffing model).
Is Cozystack cheaper than Proxmox VE?
At 50 VMs: Cozystack is $32,480 cheaper (19%). At 200 VMs: Cozystack is $190,598 cheaper (36%). At 1000 VMs: Cozystack is $538,314 cheaper (26%). Cozystack is cheaper than Proxmox VE across the whole tested range of Proxmox VE support $/node/yr (0–10× the current value).
What does migration from Proxmox VE to Cozystack cost?
For 200 VMs the model estimates $36,000 one-time: $8,000 of fixed setup — discovery, standing up the target, cutover design, runbook — plus 200 × $140/VM marginal (owner estimate — Ænix field data: 50 VMs ≈ $15K total). Most of a small migration is the setup, which is why cost does not scale with the estate. Professional services or training can be added via the "migration extras" input (default $0). One-time migration costs pay back in month 10.
What is included in the estimate — and what is not?
Exactly three articles: software (licenses + vendor support), one-time migration and personnel. Hardware and facilities are identical on both sides and excluded; backup, guest-OS licensing, DR/second site, GPU and security tooling are excluded uniformly. Full formulas and every source are on the methodology page.
Proxmox is nearly free — how can Cozystack compete on cost?
Often it can't — the calculator says so openly: on light or VM-only profiles Proxmox is cheaper and the result card turns red. The honest difference is capability (tenant self-service, managed DBaaS, cluster scale) and support: Proxmox has no vendor 24×7 tier at any price, so a 24×7 scenario is modeled as self-managed on-call (Personnel ×1.5). Cozystack is cheaper than Proxmox VE across the whole tested range of Proxmox VE support $/node/yr (0–10× the current value).
Does the model count Proxmox multi-tenancy as a gap?
No false gaps: claims are checked against the current platform version with a checked-date on each note. Where Proxmox genuinely covers a capability, the model does not invent a deficiency; the honest difference is enterprise support coverage and staffing.